Want to get over your low mood? Stop somewhere today and pick up Kale seeds and a little dirt. Dig some old food trays out of your recycling, poke holes in the bottom, fill with soil, put the seeds in and water. Put it all on an old tray on a window sill.

For 4 days I watched in anticipation and now on day 6 I have sturdy little baby Kale plants! All they need is a little water until the 2nd leaves come in which will take a few weeks. I’ll show you then what to do with them. For right now I’m just enjoying the happiness in green!

I also planted basil but it takes forever to come up. It’s great when it does, but I wouldn’t recommend only planting basil right now because it gets discouraging waiting for it.

Another happy happy is my pot of ginger mint from last year’s garden. I never got it planted so it languished in its container from the garden center all summer. I brought it in and watched it die off, hoping it was just going dormant for a few months. I was right! Here they are sprouting anew!

The sleeping gardener in me is waking up. I might make it through this winter after all!

I was extremely fortunate – good timing and pricing on my side – to acquire a full human skeleton recently. As a massage therapist and massage therapy educator I have been a student of human anatomy for many years now. I thought I knew my stuff.

But now I have spent a few hours with this specimen because it was very dusty and in need of cleaning. As I swiped over much of the surfaces of these bones with a swab soaked in hydrogen peroxide, I had a chance to fully examine a real skeleton from head to toe.

I am humbled by the real thing. These bones are such beautiful natural sculptures. They are so much more intricate than any copy I’ve studied before. It’s hard not to be moved in some fundamental way.

I started a time lapse project a year ago in which I took a photo of this flower bed each day and I really didn’t miss many days except for travel or a rare memory lapse. It was a lot of fun to see the slow change of this patch of land outside my front door. But I must admit, my enthusiasm has fizzled and I won’t quite make a year. This is why: not much changes anymore except that the snow has now covered all the landmarks you see above. It can be quite depressing. This has been one of the most brutal winters I can remember. It has not just been all the snow, but the cold has been exceptionally bad too – very cold temperatures that last for weeks!

So, it is February and there are glimmers of hope like a bit more light, birds singing in the mornings that aren’t below zero (there are a few), and 30s predicted for the end of the week. I’ve decided to anticipate. I will plant seeds! Basil and kale can definitely be started now. It will be a breath of fresh air.

It’s been bugging me for awhile that natural toothpaste is so expensive. I’ve been paying $5-8 per tube for quite awhile. When I read the ingredients I see it is mostly baking soda – one of the cheapest things you can buy! So, I did a little research and concocted my own mix. I must say, I like it very much and it cost pennies to make! Also I know and recognize each and every ingredient. Here is what I did:

Mix together in a little container into which you dip your toothbrush.

The first attempt did not include coconut oil or clove. I noticed coconut oil was included in some recipes I found and when I added it in it definitely made the whole mix more creamy. Also I have a little residual nerve pain from a recent filling so I added clove to dull that pain and add to the anti-bacterial power of this blend even though cinnamon is about as powerful as you can get in this regard. Keep in mind that you want to use pure essential oils from reputable companies, probably not what you find on the shelf in the health food store, unfortunately. I highly recommend Aromatics International because they chemically test every batch to assure no adulteration. The mouth is a pretty sensitive place – all mucous membranes – I wouldn’t want to use anything suspect. I find this mix leaves my teeth squeaky clean and my whole mouth feels fresh. I actually like it better than the commercially produced stuff – probably because I’m biased!!

Disclaimer: I am not an aromatherapist and I am only reporting here what I did and what has worked well for me. I encourage you to do your own research on recipes and essential oils to use. The Aromatics International website offers a wealth of information on use and safety of their oils. Do not experiment without knowledge. Consult a certified clinical aromatherapist if you have any concerns.